Smoke and Mirrors
A violent Palestinian protest on the Israel-Gaza border on the first day of Passover led to the predictable international condemnations of Israel. This weekend, Palestinians plan to riot again, this…
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein’s Commentary
The Lord Will Surely Comfort Zion
The words of Isaiah came to mind as I heard the news of two deadly terror attacks in Israel this past week. In Israel, each time we hear of another…
A Plea for Help – and a Call to Action
"I will tell you about my beautiful life and family before ISIS destroyed them." The stories of Christian refugees from Iraq illustrate the desperate plight of Christians in the Middle…
Ask Your Father and He Will Tell You
Haven't we all struggled with how best to care for an aging loved one, or experienced the trials of aging ourselves? Respecting and caring for the elderly is not just…
A Joyful Day – A Serious Message
While the holiday of Purim which recalls the deliverance of the Jews exiled in Persia in biblical times, is a festive occasion, it also reminds us that in a world…
He Showed His Faith to the World
I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Billy Graham, an extraordinary Christian man whose voice of morality and reconciliation touched so many people for the better.
Troubled Times – and Timeless Wisdom
Although the threat of war is a daily reality for Israel, the Jewish state remains a "light unto the nations." And as she continues her ongoing pursuit of peace and…
Raising Our Faithful Voices
The case of a current candidate for public office – whose anti-Semitic, racist, and conspiratorial views were long ago rejected by decent people – reminds us, as people of faith,…
A Celebration of God's Creation
On January 31st, Jews around the world observe the holiday of Tu B'Shvat, which celebrates the miracle of all that God created. This includes the land of Israel, of which…
We Remember. We Act.
On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we pledge to remember the 6,000,000 victims. But we cannot forget about those who survived the Holocaust. Over 400,000 Jewish survivors live in poverty. Sadly, 40…
An Oasis of Brotherhood and Democracy
As Americans observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day this coming Monday, let us remember a man who went among the people to liberate them as Moses did, and who saw…
Walk with the Wise
The new year is a time of new beginnings – and a time of endings. I was reminded of that truth earlier this week when I learned of the death…
